You opened your mouth and schooled my son on what it's like to be on the receiving end of ill-timed, inappropriate words. You helped me do what is one of my least favorite jobs as a parent: you thickened up his skin, made my sweet boy a little bit tougher.

Now Carson and Aaron's brother Brian are able to support each other. "It's really nice for me to have someone who understands what I'm going through, where I don't have to explain why I'm sad," she says.

I knew how hard his home life was and how badly he wanted to succeed but how limited he felt. This was the only way of life he knew and I was terrified that it would be the only one he would ever know.